Guidelines for Expenditures of Institutional Research and Development Funds (IRAD)

Michigan Tech institutional research and development funds are general funds allocated to Deans, Chairs, Center/Institute Directors, and researchers to provide resources to Colleges, Departments, Centers/Institutes, and researchers for use in enhancing research and graduate studies. The amounts allocated are calculated from Facilities and Administrative (F&A) reimbursements collected from sponsored research in the respective units or by the respective researchers.

Fiscal Year 2023 Return Rates
(Effective October 1, 2022)
Category Fiscal Year 22 Return Percentage
College Incentive / IRAD Return 9%

Department Incentive / IRAD Return

9%
PI Incentive / IRAD Return 10%
Shared Facilities IRAD 4%
Use Charge Return 25%
KRC (Tier 1) 59%
MTRI (Tier 1) 78%
APSRC (Tier 1)  25.5%
CTT (Tier 1) 18%
GLRC (Tier 1) 38.5%
ICC (Emerging Tier 1) 17%
HRI (Emerging Tier 1) 17%
Institute / Center / Special ICR Returns 15.5%
Library 2%

Allowable Expenses must enhance research and graduate studies and include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Advertising for recruitment of research personnel, including graduate students;
  • Business meals;
  • Equipment used primarily or exclusively for research;
  • Materials (supplies, purchased materials, and fabricated parts);
  • Memberships in professional societies;
  • Postage;
  • Professional services (consultant and speaker fees);
  • Proposal preparation costs;
  • Salaries, wages and fringes for faculty, students, technical support staff, administrative staff, and clerical staff other than the account custodian; Salaries, wages, and fringes for the account custodian are only allowable if approved by the account custodian's direct supervisor and their direct supervisor;
  • Sabbatical travel (to and from) for faculty only (not applicable to family members or travel companions);
  • Travel costs related to research or graduate student activity.

Unallowable Expenses include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Airline Club Memberships;
  • Alcoholic beverages;
  • Alumni/development activity;
  • Donations and contributions;
  • Entertainment (other than allowed business meals);
  • Fines and penalties;
  • Goods or services for personal use;
  • Lobbying;
  • Memberships in civic or community organizations, country clubs, or social/dining clubs;
  • Personal travel costs;
  • Office equipment/furniture to work from home*;
  • Moving expenses.

*IRAD funds are to be used for research related purposes only. IRAD funds can not be used to buy furniture and/or computer equipment for home offices. If furniture and/or computer equipment is needed for a home office, submit a request to your department and your department will determine if they have funds available to purchase the requested item(s). If you need furniture and/or equipment for a home office due to a medical reason, contact the Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX office , as they may have funds available for purchasing the requested item(s).

Requests to transfer funds from Center/Institute IRAD accounts to individual investigator IRAD accounts will no longer be processed.  Under unusual circumstances, you can request an exception to this.  To do that, please submit the account transfer form, with a justification for the transfer, and an attached budget for the planned expenditure of the funds.  This will be reviewed by the Vice President for Research.

When the Human Resources Employee Leaving Report is received by Sponsored Programs all IRAD indexes of the employees will be inactivated.  After inactivation, Sponsored Programs will continue to  review and monitor all expenditures for adherence to IRAD spending guidelines.  At the end date of their employment, the IRAD balance will be transferred in full to the appropriate college IRAD specified by the college dean's office.  Research funds must stay in an IRAD index. Adjunct professors are not eligible to be financial managers of these funds.